


Another Life

by ByronBlack



Category: Bloodline (TV 2015)
Genre: AU, Family Drama, Family Issues, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Gen, Ghosts, M/M, Normal Life, On the Run, Possible Romance, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Romance, Running Away, Starting Over, kyle chandler - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-28 23:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10841820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ByronBlack/pseuds/ByronBlack
Summary: John leaves Florida and his family behind and drives all the way to New York City seeking an escape from his family drama. Eventually he wind's up on Rowan's doorstep and get's a glimpse of a life he could have had. But will he be able to leave his family and the past behind him?





	Another Life

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Reader: This is set post season 2 and should be considered an AU. This is also a stand alone story, that is tied to my Blood in the sand series. So I recommend you read that for context if your interested.

 

At first John didn’t know where he was headed. He drove off into the night like a bat out of hell, and before he knew it he wound up in New York. He told himself he was going to see Meg. But in the back of his mind, he knew that wasn’t true. His thoughts were of the one person who seemed to have escape all this madness.

 

By now Rowan would be in his mid twenties. John drove around the city for a few hours before he eventually wound up in front of the same townhouse with the red door that he had tracked Rowan down to all those years ago. 

 

He didn’t have the nerve to knock on the door then. But this past year had changed him. Killing Danny had darkened his soul. He wanted so badly to forget. Maybe Rowan had it right. Starting a new life someplace where no one knew his name. 

 

He got out of his car, walked up the front stoop and knocked on the door. He waited for a moment before Rowan opened the door. His eyes widened in disbelief when he saw John standing there. 

 

“Johnny!” Rowan lit up inside when he saw him.

 

“Rowan!”

 

“Are you here to arrest me?”

 

“No.” John replied. Rowan could tell from the look on his face that he was telling the truth. And that there was a reason why he had come all the way from Florida just to talk to him. 

 

“In that case come on in.” Rowan said opening the door. John followed Rowan inside. His place was nice. Seems he had done really well for himself since he left the keys. He went to the fridge and poured himself a drink. “How’s my mother!”

 

“She’s good. She left Roy, and she’s been sober for a few years now.” John told him.

 

“Good! You know when I first came here. I was so afraid that someone from back home would find me and drag me back to that shithole. Then after awhile, I began to wonder if I would ever see anyone from my old life again. But I held out hope because  knew if anyone would find me. It would be you!” Rowan said. “So what took you so long?”

 

“Actually. I found you about a year or so after you left. Had to hire a private investigator and everything. But Eventually, I found you. I stood on those exact same front steps three years ago and I had every intention of confronting you. But then at the last minute, I don't know. I couldn’t go through with it.” 

 

“What’s Changed?” Rowan asked. A confused look decorated John’s face. “You said that you couldn’t do it three years ago. So why now John? What’s changed?”

 

John hesitated; Rowan could tell by the look on his face that he was hiding something. Something he was ashamed of. He didn’t want to force him to talk about it so he changed the subject.

 

“You want another drink?”

 

“Please!” John asked.

 

Rowan poured him another. And one for himself as well. “You look tired. Why don’t you go upstairs, take a hot shower, get some rest, and I’ll come wake you up in a few hours?”

 

“Would you mind?”

 

“Please Johnny, I insist!” Rowan told him.  

 

He showed John upstairs to the master bedroom. The walls were painted pale grey and much like the rest of the house it was tastefully decorated with modern furniture, a old fireplace with crown molding that no longer worked but was perfect for holding up his flat screen tv.

 

“This okay? I’d put you in the guest room, but I never got around to decorating it so I mostly just use it to store stuff for work.” Rowan said. 

 

“What the hell is a personal shopper anyway?” John asked.

 

“Well basically Rich businessmen with way too much money pay me to dress them up in expensive suits and I also get a commission from department stores like goldman-sachs.” Rowan said as he walked over to John. He began to losen his tie, but John stopped him before he took anything else off him. 

 

He took his hands in his and said, “Rowan, thankyou!”

 

Rowan smiled and brushed his hand against his face! Loving the scratchy feeling of his five o’clock shadow. “Get some sleep Johnny! I have to run a few errands but I’ll be back later. Make yourself at home!”

 

That said Rowan left John to get some sleep. John stripped down to his boxers and crawled into Rowan’s bed. He feel asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. John awoke sometime later. He sat on the edged of the bed and cradled his head in his hands for a moment before he rubbed the sleep out of his  eyes. 

 

He got up and took a shower, enjoying the feeling of the hot water as it trickled down his body, washing away all his sins from the night before. He got out of the shower, and as he wiped the steam off the mirror, he saw Danny, standing there behind him.

 

He opened the medicine cabinet and didn’t close it for fear that he’s see danny again. He grabbed the shaving cream spurting a generous helping into his hand as he lathered up his face so he could shaved. 

 

He glanced over at the two white cotton bathrobes that hung on the back of the Bathroom door. One was clearly Rowan’s but the other bore no name. John covered himself with it and began exploring. His eyes taking in every little detail of Rowan’s fancy New York townhouse.

 

It was like getting a glimpse into someone else’s life. A life he could have with Rowan. John walked into the guest room, which was filled with racks of expensive suits, and men’s horsery. He ran his fingers over them, feeling the fabric of each one as his eyes panned the room. 

 

Eventually he found one that he liked. It was a blue grey suit that to his surprise seemed to fit as though it was made for him. He got dressed and took a moment to admire himself in the vanity mirror that leaned against one of the walls in the spare room. 

 

“John…” Said a familiar voice from behind. John turned to see Danny sitting in a chair behind him. He didn’t know if he was a ghost, or some manifestation of his guilt. But ever since he had killed his brother, this thing had been following him wherever he went. “What’re you doing John?”

 

“What’s it look like Danny. I’m getting dressed.”

 

“No your not! Your playing house!” Danny told him. “No matter what you do. You can't escape the past John!”

 

“You were the one who told me to keep going! So why the fuck are you still here!” John turned to face him, but Danny vanished as suddenly as he appeared. John looked back in the mirror to see that he was no longer there either. 

 

John placed his gun and badge down beside his old cloths, and finished getting dressed just as Rowan returned. “John! Johnny you up?”

 

“I’m upstairs!” John called out to him. His fingers trembled as he tried to fasten his tie, but became frustrated with the damn thing. Rowan entered the room a cocked a smile when he saw John dressed in the blue grey suit. “I hope this is okay. I didn’t have any spare cloths!”

 

Rowan took a few steps closer. He circled around John looking him up and down. “It’s more than okay. That suit looks as though it was meant for you!”

 

“Would you mind helping me with my tie?” John asked. Rowan didn’t know what to make of his request at first. It took him a moment to realize this was John’s way of flirting with him. He appreched him with caution and began to fasten his tie into his usual half windsor knot. 

 

For a moment John and Rowan’s eyes met and on a whim John kissed him. Rowan resisted at first but then gave into temptation. It was like a dream come true. He kissed John back passionately. John was surprised at how much enjoyed the feeling of Rowan's soft lips upon his.

 

John pulled away and said, “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that!”

 

“No I’m sorry! I’m so stupid I-” Before Rowan could finish that sentence John pounced on him once again. His kiss sent Rowan’s head spinning around. John lifted him in his arms and carried him into the bedroom. He placed him down on the bed and the two men began shedding their clothes. Letter layer after layer fall to the floor. 

 

There were no words. Rowan had wanted John all his life. And now at last he had him!

 

John’s hand began to explore and caress Rowan’s body, His eyes were so fixated on him. The way he looked at him. He knew that he didn’t just want his body, he wanted his soul too. They lie naked next to one another, John wrapped his arms around him. His naked body pressed up against his. Skin to skin, heart to heart. Then as lovers do they melded together and began one. 

 

Afterward, they lie basking in the afterglow. John playing the part of the big spoon to Rowan’s little spoon. John kissed the back of his neck and lied there with him, enjoying this newfound closeness they had. 

 

But through the corner of John’s eye. Danny was always there, judging him with that shit eating grin he always had. 

 

“You okay?” Rowan asked.

 

“Yea. I’m okay. Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you did I?” John asked.

 

“You're the one person in this world who could never hurt me Johnny!” Rowan answered. John kissed him once again. John had this secret burning inside him. He was afraid if he didn’t tell someone. It would burn away what little of his soul he had left. 

 

“Rowan. I did something awful back in Florida!” John said. Rowan pressed his finger to John’s lips and hushed him.    
  
“I don’t care. Whatever you did in the past doesn't matter anymore. Don't let your memories haunt you. Move forward!” Rowan said. “It’s how I’ve survived all these years.”

 

John quietly agree, deciding to bury his past, along with Danny. 

 

“I have an idea!” Rowan said. He did have an idea. He had a terribul awful idea! He srung out of bed and tossed John his cloths. “Here, get dressed. I’m taking you out!”

 

‘Really. Where we going? The ritz?”

 

“No! Better!”

 

“Where?”

 

“It’s a surprise, just get dressed!” John let out a light chuckle. He humored Rowan and got dressed. They left the house a little after seven. By then night had fallen on the city. John looked up at the fathomless darkness that loomed above the city. “ it’s just all dark, no stars!” 

 

“In a city of a million shining lights, who needs stars!” Rowan replied.

 

They took a cab uptown and got out in front of a church! One that was bustling with paparazzi, taking pictures of members of new york high society.

 

“What are we doing here? Are we crashing a wedding?” John said.

 

“I’ll let you in on a little secret John. if you dress well and enter with confidence, you can get in anywhere.” Rowan told him. He lent out his arm to John, and John walked into the reception hall with him, arm in arm.

 

They casually waltz into the room and sat down at a table in the back. They ate, they drank and before John knew it. They had blended in with the other guests.

 

“So Rowan tell me, are you and John planning on tying the knot soon?” ask one of the women sitting at the table with them.

 

“Oh well I, -” Rowan paused looking at John. “We haven’t been together that long really!”

 

“Actually.” John said correcting him. He wrapped his arm around the back of Rowan’s chair pulling him close, playing the part of the good boyfriend. “What he means is that we’ve known each other for years. But It’s only recently that we began having a relationship.”

 

Rowan smiled and played along. “It’s true. His little sister and I practically grew up together. I was the kooky little neighbor boy who was always hanging around. He was my first crush.” Rowan added.

 

“You remember how you used to whip around corners when you would see me coming? I was such an idiot, I had to be not to see it.”

 

“I love it, the boy next door, and the other boy next door. It’s like something out of a fairy tale.” said the woman in the red dress. “So what took you two so long to be together?”

 

“Well I was in the closet for years!” John answered.

 

“And by the time I came out in highschool he was married.” Rowan added.

 

“You were married? To a woman?” Said the women in the red dress in disbelief.

 

“Yes, and I’m still married.” John admitted. As a cop who had been undercover before. He knew the best way to tell a lie, was to add an element of truth to it.  “She’s back down south with the kids right now.”

 

“To her credit Diana is a wonderful women. But John is such a good father. I know the only reason he hasn't divorced her is because of the kids. And we don’t need a peice of paper in order to be together do we.”

 

“That’s right baby!” John said kissing him.

 

Everyone at the table including the women in the red dress applauded at their modern romance. John stood up and lent out his hand as a gesture. Rowan took John’s hand and lead him out onto the dance floor.  

 

The two lovers stood close together. Swaying from side to side as the orchestra played one of those old cole porter songs he always heard in old movies. Rowan looked deep into John’s eyes. “Thank you for doing that. You didn’t have to you know!”

 

“I know. But I wanted to.”

 

“From the moment you showed up on my doorstep. I feel like i’ve been walking around in a dream.”

 

“Life could be a dream!” John added.

 

“Sha-boom!” Rowan replied. John let out a light chuckle and Rowan rested his head on his shoulders. “This has been the greatest day of my life. But I have this terrible feeling that it’s not gonna last.”

 

“Nothing good ever dose.” John told him. He held him close and placed a kiss on his forehead as the song ended. He escorted him back to the table and excused himself to the restroom. While he was in there. He looked down at his cell phone to see a million unanswered calls from his mother, Meg, and Kevin. 

 

He played the first message. It was Kevin. From the tone in his voice he could tell he was really upset, and knew something was wrong. “I don’t know what happened. Marco’s dead!”

 

John stood there in the bathroom stall. His eye widening in horror as he listened to message after message. Trying to piece together what happened. 

 

He emerged from the bathroom a short time later. Putting on a brave front for Rowan. They stayed at the wedding reception for another hour or two before they went back to Rowan’s place. Both of them were pretty drunk. Rowan especially. 

 

They stumbled up the stairs to the bedroom. John helped put Morgan to bed and went to take off the suit he had borrowed from him. Danny appeared in the mirror behind him. “Told you it wouldn’t last.”

 

He threw a small marble bust at the mirror shattering it into a thousand pieces.

 

The next morning. Still half-asleep Rowan reached over to John’s side of the bed to find that he was gone, and in his place was a letter addressed to him. 

 

-o0o-

  
  


Rowan,

 

I hope you don’t mind. But I couldn’t wake you. Perhaps you were right. Perhaps yesterday was just a dream. A dream we both shared. Thank you for showing me a little vision of a life that I could have with you. I wish I could stay, but I got some things I have to take care of back home. 

 

Till then I want you to promise me that you’ll carry on as normal. I don’t know when or if I’m coming back. But if I do. I promise I’ll be there when you wake up!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
